Research Methodologies and Event Unit (2023/24)

Week 4: Research Methodologies and Event Unit

Paradigms, Data Analysis and Examples of Case Studies

Dr. Dhruv Adam Sookhoo, Unit Lead and Senior Lecturer in Architecture and Urbanism, MSA (convenor)
Dr. Chathu Jayakody, Lecture in Architecture and Urbanism, University of Manchester
Rim Yassine Kassab, Tutor, Manchester School of Architecture
Research Methodologies and Event Unit (2023/24)

Week 4: Research Methodologies and Event Unit

Paradigms, Data Analysis and Examples of Case Studies

Dr. Dhruv Adam Sookhoo, Unit Lead and Senior Lecturer in Architecture and Urbanism, MSA (convenor)
Dr. Chathu Jayakody, Lecture in Architecture and Urbanism, University of Manchester
Rim Yassine Kassab, Tutor, Manchester School of Architecture
Sessions in Week 4: Paradigms, Data Analysis and Examples of Case Studies

4 1100hrs -1300hrs, Theatre 6, • Introduction to Week 4

Tuesday, Stopford
20 February 2024 Building, • Qualitative research paradigm and research design (Dr. Dhruv Sookhoo)
University of
Manchester • Analysing qualitative data through coding (Dr. Chathu Jayakody)

1400hrs-1600hrs, Stopford • Constructing and analysing a qualitative case study: documentary and
Tuesday, Theatre 3, visual methods in qualitative research (Dr. Dhruv Sookhoo)
20 February 2024 University of
Manchester • Constructing and analysing a qualitative case study 2 (Rim Yassine Kassab).
Week 1: Research Proposal: Justifying and Evaluating your Qualitative Research Design

Introduced the
components of a
research proposal,
abstract, and annotated
reference list that form
the basis of a
qualitative research
design to outline
assignments.

Two examples of
research designs based
on archival research
and documentary
research.

Research ethics and

ethical approval
Maxwell, J. (2008) ‘Designing a Qualitative Study’, in L. Bickman and D. Rog (eds.) The Handbook of
process. Applied Social Research Methods. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications., pp. 214-253.
Week 2: Research Proposal: Justifying and Evaluating your Qualitative Research Design

Academic and study

skills directly related to
the practice required to
develop and implement
a qualitative research
design, as examined by
the Unit assignments
(i.e. research proposal,
abstract, and annotated
reference list).

Locating and evaluating

a) literature relating to
research topic; b)
literature relating to
research design and
implementation; c)
‘documents as data’.
Maxwell, J. (2008) ‘Designing a Qualitative Study’, in L. Bickman and D. Rog (eds.) The Handbook of
Applied Social Research Methods. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications., pp. 214-253.
Week 2: Research Proposal: Justifying and Evaluating your Qualitative Research Design

Academic and study

skills directly related to
the practice required to
develop and implement
a qualitative research
design, as examined by
the Unit assignments
(i.e. research proposal,
abstract, and annotated
reference list).

Locating and evaluating

a) literature relating to
research topic; b)
literature relating to
research design and
implementation; c)
‘documents as data’.
Maxwell, J. (2008) ‘Designing a Qualitative Study’, in L. Bickman and D. Rog (eds.) The Handbook of
Applied Social Research Methods. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications., pp. 214-253.
Week 3: Research Proposal: Justifying and Evaluating your Qualitative Research Design

Methods of data
collection and analysis
relating to written and
spoken text (i.e.
‘documents as data’,
and interview data).

Plus, exploration of
autoethnography.

Maxwell, J. (2008) ‘Designing a Qualitative Study’, in L. Bickman and D. Rog (eds.) The Handbook of
Applied Social Research Methods. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications., pp. 214-253.
Week 4: Research Proposal: Justifying and Evaluating your Qualitative Research Design

Discuss relationship
between research
paradigms and
conceptual framework,
and research questions,
research design, and
issues of research
quality.

Discuss grounded
theory method as an
example of qualitative
data analysis through
coding.

Plus, two examples of

case study research.

Maxwell, J. (2008) ‘Designing a Qualitative Study’, in L. Bickman and D. Rog (eds.) The Handbook of
Applied Social Research Methods. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications., pp. 214-253.
Independent Working towards Week 4
By Week 4, you should independently complete the following tasks or
activities:
1. State your preference for dissertation elective or open pool, using link to
Microsoft Form (available via Moodle) no later than 1200hrs, Friday 16
February 2024. Thank you to all that did so in a timely way!
2. Read Chapter 15, within Seale (2018), which relates to grounded theory. It
may also be helpful to review Chapter 25 within Seale (2018), which
relates thematic analysis of qualitative data.
3. Short section on case studies in Chapter 7 on Research Design in Seale
(2018, pp.103-105). Review reading list on Moodle and review selected
texts relating to case studies (e.g. Yin and Campbell, 2018) and case study
methodology (digitalised chapter, advanced) (Schwandt and Gates, 2018).
4. Week Four is the last week of lectures, and we will shift to tutorials. You
will be allocated a tutor for the remainder of Research Methodologies and
Event Unit by Tuesday 20 February 2024 (Week 4), and should email your
tutor a copy of your draft abridged research proposal no later than
1200hrs, Friday, 23 February 2024 to help them assess your progress
Essential Reading: Seale, C. (2018) Researching Society
and provide verbal feedback against the assessment requirements. and Culture. 4th edn. London: Sage.
UPDATE: Independent Working towards Week 5
By Week 5, you should independently complete the following tasks or activities:
1. Week 4 is the last week of lectures, and we will shift to tutorials in Week 5.
You will be allocated a tutor for the remainder of Research Methodologies and
Event Unit by Monday, 26 February 2024 (Week 5). This delay means that it
will not be possible for all students to email a copy of your draft abridged
research proposal to your tutor by Friday, 23 February 2024. Instead, please
bring a printed copy of your draft research proposal to your tutorial, which
should allow tutors to offer some verbal feedback against the assessment
requirements.
2. Before or by the end of Monday, 26 February 2024, I will post student
allocations to Moodle and the location of your tutorials. Tutorials will be held
between 1000hrs-1200hrs (or 1100hrs-1300hrs) depending on your tutor
group, in a seminar room on MMU’s campus.
3. After Week 5, tutors may negotiate tutorials on a different day. If they do so, it
is their responsibility to ensure they record your attendance via Presto.
4. All tutors have had an opportunity to attend sessions of research ethics and
ETHOS. However, it is your responsibility to ensure that your proposal and
subsequent research complies with MMU’s ethical approval process and this
Essential Reading: Seale, C. (2018) Researching Society
is a requirement of the assessment (see Assessment Brief). and Culture. 4th edn. London: Sage.
Symposium: Call for Volunteers Answered (NOW CLOSED- UPDATED 13022024)
• Symposium is a celebration of your work to date. Presentations and your
draft abstract are an opportunity for formative feedback ahead of
summative assessment within the Unit.
• Volunteers will prepare the ‘book of abstracts’, organise the venue and
produce associated graphics, and is a great opportunity to demonstrate
skills associated with conference attendance and delivery.
• Dr. N. Azreen Azlan (Lecturer in Architecture and Urbanism) will chair the
‘Research Methodologies and Events Symposium Organising
Committee’, and agree two student co-chairs responsible for co-
ordinating activities and preparing the book of abstracts.
• Student Members of the Organising Committee are:
1. ALAMRI, Abdarraouf 7. MANIAR, Shreya Sachin
2. ARULNATHAN, Mageswari 8. MOOSAZADEH, Peiman
3. BASHA, Aafrine Rughie Akbar 9. SI, Yuan
4. BHASIN, Anya 10. SINGH, Shalini
5. LAD, Neha 11. YOUSUF, Zainab. Example of Book of Abstracts: RIBA (2021) Book of Abstracts: RIBA
President’s Awards for Research 2020-21 [online-internet]. Available at:
6. PHILIP, Feby Susan https://www.architecture.com/awards-and-competitions-landing-
page/awards/riba-presidents-awards-for-research (accessed: 28 January
2024).
References

Gidley, B. (2018) ‘Doing historical and documentary research’, in Seale, C. (ed.) Researching Society and Culture. 2nd edn.
London: SAGE Publications, pp. 285-304.

Maxwell, J. (2008) ‘Designing a Qualitative Study’, in L. Bickman and D. Rog (eds.) The Handbook of Applied Social Research
Methods. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications., pp. 214-253.

Schwandt, T. and Gates, E. (2018) 'Chapter 14: Case Study Methodology', n Denzin, N. K. and Lincoln, Y. S. (eds) (2018) The
sage handbook of qualitative research. Fifth edn. Thousand Oaks, California: SAGE., pp. 341-359.

Seale, C. (ed.) Researching Society and Culture. 2nd edn. London: SAGE Publications, pp.129-142.

Yin, R. and Campbell, D. (2018) Case study research and applications : design and methods. Sixth edn. Thousand Oaks,
California: SAGE Publications.
Research Methodologies and Event Unit (2023/24)

Questions?

Dr. Dhruv Adam Sookhoo, Unit Lead and Senior Lecturer, Manchester School of Architecture.
Email: [email protected]